The biggest question was answered in this week’s episode of The Flash

“We are The Flash” was the title of The Flash’s season four finale, and it was nonetheless fitting. It started and ended as Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris’ (Candice Patton) metaphor for their love and commitment to one another, and this time the team worked together as a cohesive unit to defeat Devoe (Neil Sandilands). Last week, Iris and Harry (Tom Cavanagh) teamed-up to track down Marlize (Kim Engelbrecht), and the two were able to convince the not-so-villainous genius to help them defeat her husband. Marlize came up with the idea to defeat Devoe in his mind, using Cecile’s (Danielle Nicolet) powers as a tether. Devoe and Barry played a nice battle of tag, and a familiar face returned to our screens: Ralph Dibny (Hartley Sawyer).

One of the season’s biggest questions: “Who on Earth is the Mystery Girl?” Portrayed by Jessica Parker Kennedy, the mystery surrounding her character has been huge, and what seems to be this season’s saving grace. In true Flash finale fashion, her identity was revealed in the last minute of the episode: She’s Nora, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future. And if it wasn’t for her help, Barry would’ve been dead to due to destroying Devoe’s satellite.

It’s safe to save our roundtable has speculated plenty on her identity, and we were right! Other than revealing her identity, all while sporting Iris’ suit jacket from “Run, Iris Run,” Nora also mentioned that she made a “big big mistake,” and needed the team’s help. What is that mistake? We’ll have to find out for season 5!

Here to discuss mysteries, returning faces, and more is our The Flash roundtable!

1. The Mystery Girl is Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future! What did you think of the reveal?

Cami (@tarcamwat): I want to know everything about Nora West-Allen right this minute. I loved that she saved her dad and Central City! The big question is how will presumably changing the timeline alter other things. She clearly now thinks she may have made a huge mistake.

Tatiana (@myrcellasear):I loved it! It’s been so much fun watch Jessica Parker Kennedy channel both Grant and Candice in her performance up to now, and I loved the added touch of Nora wearing Iris’ jacket. Her “big mistake” is certainly the biggest hook for me going into season 5, so I’m looking forward to how that shakes out.

Alexis (@alexiswaverider): I think everybody knew she was Barry and Iris’ daughter but the reveal was kind of different so I enjoyed it. I love that the writers had Barry and Iris name her Nora in honor of Barry’s mother, but I do hope they retain her comic book name Dawn and that we later get to see (or at least have her mention) her twin Don Henry Allen.

Tay (@candicekps): THE BEST PART OF THE FINALE! I already knew, but having it be confirmed is the best feeling ever. Nora Allen is going to bring such an interesting dynamic to the show, especially for WestAllen (since she’s literally the same age as them at this point in time). I am so excited to see and fall in love with her character in season five.

Vanessa (@westallenallure): It was the most obvious but satisfying reveal. Many people, me included; knew she was Westallen’s daughter. If the insanely good casting for an offspring of Grant Gustin and Candice Patton didn’t do it, her having their colors when she runs did. I loved how nonchalant she was at first and then she started getting more worried – it really tied up to all the time we’ve seen her and how different she’s acted – which I feel will be a big thing next season. I absolutely loved that SECONDS before Barry was flustered at the thought of having a baby and Iris swore that wouldn’t be a thing for a WHILE and then boom – enters Nora Allen. Love the homage to Barry’s mom’s name, as well.

2. Did you expect Marlize to help Team Flash, or were you skeptical?

Cami: I’ve expected Marlize to turn for quite some time now. I’m so happy she was central to defeating Devoe and that she reclaimed her life. Iris really made a breakthrough and got Marlize to see straight again.

Tatiana: I knew in my heart of hearts that Marlize would help save the day. Both because she loved the man her husband once was and not the one he became, but also because once Iris gives a supervillain a pep talk their only options are comply or die. Just ask Killer Frost and Savitar.

Alexis: I definitely did and I’m glad she did. It started with both of them so it was only logical from a storytelling standpoint that she have a hand in bringing down Devoe.

Tay:I definitely expected Marlize to help Team Flash! I knew that she would not have ended up backstabbing the team or anything of that realm since she was also hurt by Devoe.

Vanessa: I did indeed expect her to help the team because give the dailies throughout the season, you know DeVoe’s plan and the turn his character took – was not something she expected or liked. For a quick second, very briefly; I thought she would try to help him when Ralph was taking control of his body again.

3. Ralph is alive! How do you feel about the revival of his character?

Cami: I figured Ralph was still in there somewhere. I hope and pray his story is much better next year and that they don’t neglect other characters in favor of him. Carlos Valdes (Cisco) in particular deserves better.

Tatiana: Personally, I don’t like it because he kind of ate the season for me and I was hoping never to see him again. But for Barry, it makes sense because this way the season hasn’t been a total loss when it comes to Devoe. He managed to save one person out of the 13 bus metas at least. I just hope they find a better balance next season when it comes to dividing up stories, and that they don’t repeat the exact same character beat for Ralph 23 times.

Alexis: To say I hate this decision would be putting it mildly, but all I can do is hope they do a better job with him in season 5 than they did this season.

Tay: Slightly annoyed. His character takes up so much screen time and he overshadows Barry. I feel like if they wanted a secondary hero, they should have kept Wally.

Vanessa: I’m not happy, to be completely honest. I feel like he’s to blame for the inconsistent season. Not mention, even though he’s not as sleazy as he was before – I can’t erase ho disgusting he was from my mind. I also, don’t think it’s smart to crowd the cast even more but we will see. I was incredulous at first, then bamboozled, and ultimately – I have surrendered and will try to get used to the fact that they like Ralph on the show.

4. Cecile said something really weird to Caitlin, as if she were impersonating someone else. Have any theories as to what that will entail?

Cami: I’m guessing Cecile was in Caitlin’s head again and she was either talking about her deceased father or her brother that she doesn’t remember having. If you remember, Earth 2 Killer Frost had a dead brother.

Tatiana: I’m guessing the “Thomas” that Cecile mentioned is Caitlin’s dad and that she will find out he was a metahuman just like her. Perhaps that is what actually killed him?

Alexis: Thomas is likely her father so I suspect Caitlin inherited this gene from her father, in which case it’s likely that they’re going the X-Men route. There’s a possibility that young Killer Frost killed her father Thomas rather than him dying of ALS as we’ve been lead to believe, in which case Caitlin likely has repressed memories of this event. I still don’t care about this storyline at all but at least it gives Caitlin an actual purpose in season 5 as opposed to the wet blanket she’s been these past seasons.

Tay: I think that Killer Frost is starting to resurface which caused that reaction out of Cecile.

Vanessa: She mentioned a man’s name, Thomas; and I figure it’s her dad. The last we saw of her was the flashback that revealed she’s always been a metahuman and her dad seemingly brought that out. So, I suppose it’s him and it has to do with why she suppressed those feelings and how the relationship she remembers with her father differs from what actually happened.

5. Harry is still not the genius we all knew him to be, but he has now found a “balance.” Do you think he will return to Team Flash?

Cami:I think we may see Harry for an episode or 2 next season, since Harry won’t be a regular member of Team Flash anymore. I think Harry could have gained emotional enlightenment without the dullness of his intelligence. It’s not a 1-to-1 exchange. I was disappointed that Harry was morphed into HR.

Tatiana: It seems like Harry has come back every time he’s left, so I imagine that we’ll see him again no matter what happens with the next Harrison Wells that the team recruits.

Alexis: I think they’ve neatly wrapped up E2 versions’ storyline with the team so no, I don’t think he’s coming back to Team Flash except for the occasional visits. I liked this balanced Harry better than the megalomaniac we had all season long so I wish they had kept it rather than reinventing a new version of Wells — which I’m sure they’ll be doing. I do, however, think that Tom is returning in some capacity for season 5 and will likely play a new version of Harry Wells *rolls eyes.*

Tay: Actually, on the contrary, I think that he’s pretending not to be a genius. I have a feeling that Harry is going to return to Team Flash, but as a secondary villain. His behavior was so strange after he received his “balanced intelligence.”

Vanessa: I do think he will return. And it’d be smart to have this balanced Harry because he could still help, like he did Iris last episode; and allow Barry to use his brain more. It’s one less person that facilitates solutions for the team. They also won’t let go of Tom Cavanagh and this character that he’s played the most, I feel.

6. Wally made an appearance! Do you think he resolved his insecurities and will join Team Flash next season?

Cami: We need Wally back! If next season focuses on the Flash family then Wally West is an integral member of that family. My only worry is that Ralph has already been confirmed as a series regular. The cast may be too large.

Tatiana: I would love more than anything for Wally to return to the Flash full-time, but I have a feeling that he’s either sticking around Legends of Tomorrow or else exiting the Arrowverse altogether. I do hope he makes more appearances on The Flash, though, because it’s not the same without him.

Alexis: Him going to Legends to resolve said “insecurities” made no sense in the first place because that story wasn’t necessary. I do love that he’s back and I sincerely hope he’ll be an active member of the team in season 5.

Tay: I want him to, but due to the unfortunate addition of Ralph, I don’t see the writers going that route.

Vanessa: I was so excited and his vague response to Joe about his self-discovery was so misleading.

I feel like he will be back and that he should, given that the Flash family will be a relatively big portion of next season. Not only the Flash family but the future, which we know Wally takes over the mantle as Flash after Barry.

7. Nora said she made a “big, big mistake.” Have any idea what that mistake might me?

Cami: My best guess is that Nora saved her daddy and altered the timeline. I think she was avoiding seeing her mom because future Iris warned her not to time travel or interfere. If in Nora’s timeline Barry is dead, that means Iris had to already be pregnant before he died.

Tatiana: My first instinct is that Nora wasn’t supposed to help Barry defeat Devoe, and now the timeline is all wonky and her future in 2048 is a bleak and terrible existence. Marlize made it sound like Barry would die if he didn’t have help, but that would mean Iris was already pregnant. Since that seems like a strange detail to leave out of a cliffhanger, perhaps the way in which she helped Barry somehow leads to next season’s villain?

Alexis: Well like father like daughter! I’m almost certain her mistake has to do with time traveling and the unintended consequences. I think she felt obligated to time travel to save Barry from death during his attempt at destroying the satellite. I believe it also has to do with her seemingly estranged relationship with her mother Iris, who I’m sure advised her against time traveling because she’s experienced the consequences. The Nora-Iris-Barry storyline and dynamic is actually what I’m most looking forward to in season 5, along with Iris’ journalism being used to help Barry, the team, and Central City.

Tay: My personal favorite theory is that she accidentally erased her twin brother, Don, by time traveling. Another theory that I believe is that Barry was supposed to die that night, but Nora went back in time to save him. Such theory would mean that Iris was actually pregnant right now though.

Vanessa: I think that the big mistake was her saving Barry which ultimately creates a different timeline for her and everyone else. I think we’ll see and learn about memories she has but they’ll be altering. I also think she lost her brother somewhere when she came back for whatever reason. Whether she came back because of something good or bad, I’m not sure. Initially, I thought she was just coming to visit but her demeanor and tone of her visits skewed that for me. But at the end of last night’s episode, I feel like that took a backseat to the recent events. If Barry was supposed to die (given IF he was going to die), then she altered something BIG time and a lot of years in the past.

Season four’s finale set up major storylines for our beloved Team Flash

In “Think Fast,” fans were gifted to a flashback of a young Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) who was hit by a car, which ultimately triggered the Killer Frost within her. This alluded to Killer Frost being with her since she was a child, and that she didn’t get her icy-powers from Barry creating Flashpoint. While Cecile was using her powers, nearly in labor, she grabbed Caitlin’s hand and impersonated someone that said: “I found Thomas. He’s been this way all the time.” Caitlin quickly pretended as if she didn’t know what Cecile was talking about, but we think it’s pretty safe to say “Thomas” is actually Caitlin’s father, who carried the metahuman gene and passed it down to her.

Now, the episode didn’t confirm this, but we speculate that Caitlin’s storyline next season will have to do with re-discovering her origins by digging up her past she seems hellbent to keep hidden. This could be the show’s chance to finally do right by her character, and we can’t wait.

Courtesy of Marlize, Harry was able to revert back to his old state of mind, only this time he isn’t exactly the genius we all knew him to be. According to Harry, there is now a “balance” between his head and heart, which he seemed to be grateful and happy for. After thanking the team in the touching speech, Harry decided he needed to go back to Earth 2 to Jesse (Violett Beane), as he rediscovered the meaning of family. We have no idea what this means for him next season, or if the show decides to bring in a new iteration, but for now we’ll enjoy a Wells-less Team Flash.

The episode featured the return of Ralph, who is alive and well, as he assumed the same position on Team Flash prior to his death. After his death, the show was able to go back to its roots of heart and humor — feeling like a completely different show, in a good way. Now that he’s alive, we have to say we hope his character doesn’t overshadow Barry and the original characters next season.

Cecile finally gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, who they decided to name Jenna Marie. If you’re a Flash comic book enthusiast, that name may sound really familiar to Jenni Ognats, Barry and Iris’ granddaughter, who is also a member of the Legion of Superheroes. Not sure if it was done purposefully by the writers, but it would be a nice nod to the comics.

It seems the team is going to have a lot on their plates when the show returns this fall. With future daughters, the return of new characters, and the loss of old ones, it’s safe to say we’ll be sticking around!

The Flash returns October 2018 on The CW.

Mindscape, newborn babies, and more!

TVAfterDark will be continuing our weekly roundtables when The Flash returns in the fall! Until then, check out our past coverage – catch up on roundtables, news, reviews, and more, all about The Scarlet Speedster!

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